Anti-gay proponents focus on schools

LEXINGTON, Mass., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- School districts around the country are finding opposition to a new health curriculum that includes teaching about homosexuality.

The schools bill it as making the curriculum more modern and expanding diversity education to stave off things like gay-bashing.

But many, like David Parker, the father of a 5-year-old at a Lexington, Mass., elementary school, said he calls it an advance for the "homosexual agenda."

The Christian Science Monitor reports Parker and supporters have picketed school board meetings since Parker's son was given a book, "Who's in a Family?" to read, which included same-sex households.

Once Parker was arrested for not leaving a meeting until his demands were met that all references to homosexuality be kept away from children.

The state itself is considering boosting health education to the same level as math and science.

Jeffrey Moran, the author of "Teaching Sex," said socially conservative groups are using same-sex topics as a way to force sex education out of schools.

Laura Tully, spokeswoman for Lexington C.A.R.E.S., said the criticism of talking about homosexuality is disrespectful of students who come from same-sex households.

"These are real families that are in our classrooms," she said. "This is not some abstract culture-war issue."